strange noises coming from the bedroom.

ha ha, whoops!  I just realized that title doesn't sound the greatest, does it?  oh well.  I'm going with it.

I sat down earlier this morning, eager to write up a post.  I had a string of thoughts in my head and wanted to get them onto the computer before they altogether slipped my mind like they so often do these days.  I was in the middle of typing a sentence, my fingers clicking out a steady rhythm across the keyboard, when suddenly I hear this faint KA-WHUMP! noise.  what in the world?  I stopped typing and sat motionless for a moment, straining my ears to listen.

there it was again.  KA-WHUMP!  only this time, it was followed by raucous laughter.      

instantly, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.  

if there's one thing I've learned since becoming a mother, it's this: NEVER IGNORE EXCESSIVE AND/OR UNCONTROLLABLE LAUGHTER, EVER.  especially if it follows a loud "I have no idea what that was" noise.  if you do, you'll be very sorry.  trust me on this one.

back when Hannah and Jake were mere toddlers (ages two and one respectively), I decided to pick up the phone one afternoon and call one of my good friends.  (this was before the dawn of cell phones, mind you, back when people actually called each other instead of you know, texted.  yikes.  just typing that makes me feel OLD.)  anyway, I had just put Hannah and Jake down for a nap, so I figured I may as well take advantage of the peace and quiet and get some quality girl talk in.  roughly an hour into the phone call, as my friend and I were excitedly exchanging war stories (probably), I heard them wake up.  not quite ready to end our conversation, I opted to ignore them for just a few more minutes.    

well, it wasn't long before "a few more minutes" somehow stretched into ten-- ish.  by now, I could hear some giggling going on in the bedroom, but, being the young, naive mother that I was, I just assumed they were busy playing with their toys.  because, you know, that's what kids do.  well, normal ones anyway.

finally, after no less than seven Minnesota good-byes, I hung up with my friend and placed the phone back in its cradle.  I could still hear noises coming from the bedroom, but instead of the cute, innocent giggling I had heard earlier, it had turned into this sort of scream-laugh medley.  scraughter.  whatever it was, it sounded horrendous, bordering on evil almost.

very slowly, I make my way down the hall towards their room.  cautiously, I crack open the door.  oh. my. word.  the scene that greeted me next, is something that will haunt me for the rest of my life.
                              
to be continued...

-jessica

PS. if you're capable of looking beyond Rowan's unruliness (which is at times, difficult), you'll see a kid that is brimming with personality.  he's charming, funny, sensitive, loving and always quick to forgive (trust me, we do a lot of this.)  also, he has taken on his role of Big Brother quite seriously, doting on little Finley like nobody's business. deep down, this kid has a heart of gold.

   
if Finley could talk, I think he'd agree with me.